It’s often said that the best things in life are free, but James Gandolfini proved that sometimes, the best things come with a hefty price tag—and that price was part of his paycheck. The beloved star of The Sopranos, who embodied the iconic Tony Soprano, had a knack for playing the tough guy, but in real life, he was anything but.

When production of The Sopranos was on the brink of collapse due to a contract dispute, Gandolfini pulled a move so generous that it practically made the mob boss’ code of loyalty look small time.

Edie Falco and James Gandolfini as Carmela and Tony Soprano in The Sopranos | Credit: Max

Faced with a salary issue that nearly shut down the show, he chose to fork out a chunk of his own paycheck—$33,000 per person—for each of his 16 co-stars. Gandolfini wasn’t just playing the role of...